Rick Aguilera vs John Franco: Career Stats Comparison
Rick Aguilera has the better career line of the two, leading 7 of the 12 scored categories on this page (4 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Rick Aguilera played 1985–2000 as a pitcher; John Franco played 1984–2005 as a pitcher.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
Rick Aguilera (1985–2000) and John Franco (1984–2005) — both came up during the 1980s, so the matchup is a direct one. Rick Aguilera finished with 86 wins and 1,030 strikeouts; John Franco finished with 90 wins and 975 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? John Franco, with 2.89 to Rick Aguilera's 3.57.
- Who won more games? John Franco, with 90 to Rick Aguilera's 86.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rick Aguilera, with 1,030 to John Franco's 975.
- Who had the better WHIP? Rick Aguilera, with 1.23 to John Franco's 1.33.
- Who pitched more innings? Rick Aguilera, with 1,291.1 to John Franco's 1,245.2.
- Who threw more shutouts? Neither — both are at 0.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? John Franco, with 22,498 career Pitcher PIV to Rick Aguilera's 17,939.
Rick Aguilera
John Franco
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate. Cells highlighted in green mark the player who leads that line. Lower ERA, WHIP and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads. 12 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 4 are counting totals on which fewer is not an achievement, so no one is awarded them. Totals where fewer is not an achievement -- losses, walks and hits allowed -- are left unmarked, because they track how long someone pitched rather than how well. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Rick Aguilera | John Franco |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 86 | Leads: 90 |
| Losses not scored | 81 | 87 |
| Games | 732 | Leads: 1,119 |
| Games Started | Leads: 89 | 0 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 10 | 0 |
| Shutouts | 0 | 0 |
| Saves | 318 | Leads: 424 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 1,030 | 975 |
| Walks not scored | 351 | 495 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 1,233 | 1,166 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 138 | 81 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 1,291.1 | 1,245.2 |
| ERA | 3.57 | Leads: 2.89 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.23 | 1.33 |
| K/9 | Leads: 7.18 | 7.04 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.45 | 3.58 |
PIV Comparison through 2025
By PIV (Player Impact Value), John Franco leads Rick Aguilera 22,498 to 17,939 — driven by both sides of the ledger: 1,071 PIV per season to 944, across 21 seasons to 19. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
PIV is computed through the 2025 season. The career totals on this page include 2026 to date, so PIV does not yet reflect the 2026 season.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Rick Aguilera — top 2 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
John Franco
No seasons meet the qualifying workload, so there is no peak-season list to show.
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Rick Aguilera leads in strikeouts, WHIP, K/9, and innings pitched, while John Franco owns wins and ERA. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Rick Aguilera. Note that PIV actually grades John Franco ahead, which means Rick Aguilera's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Rick Aguilera and John Franco careers compare
The careers of Rick Aguilera (1985–2000) and John Franco (1984–2005) overlapped from 1985 to 2000, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. The table compares 732 games of Rick Aguilera with 1,119 of John Franco across 19 and 21 PIV seasons; totals favor the longer career by default. Where John Franco comes out ahead, it is in wins (90 to 86), games (1,119 to 732), and saves (424 to 318). By rate, Rick Aguilera struck out 7.18 and walked 2.45 per nine innings; John Franco struck out 7.04 and walked 3.58.
Rick Aguilera vs John Franco: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Rick Aguilera or John Franco?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Rick Aguilera leads John Franco in 7 of the 12 scored categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- John Franco, with 2.89 to Rick Aguilera's 3.57.
- Who won more games?
- John Franco, with 90 to Rick Aguilera's 86.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rick Aguilera, with 1,030 to John Franco's 975.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Rick Aguilera, with 1.23 to John Franco's 1.33.